AD/CONVAIR/24 - Main Landing Gear Drag Strut Pivot Bolt

The AD is structured around a small number of technical and compliance concepts drawn directly from the source. First, applicability: the AD applies to General Dynamics (Convair) Models 340 and 440 aeroplanes "including all such model airplanes converted to turbo- propeller power", only where the aeroplane is equipped with main landing gear drag strut pivot bolt assembly Part Numbers 340-5110105, 340-5110105-1, or 340-5110105-3. The specific P/Ns are central to the AD’s scope. Second, prescribed inspection method: the AD mandates magnetic particle inspection procedures, performed "in accordance with Paragraph 2., 'Accomplishment Instructions' of General Dynamics, Convair Division, Service Bulletin 640(340D)32-14, dated 10 October 1986, or later FAA approved revision." This ties the technical standard to the referenced service bulletin and to any subsequent FAA-approved revisions of it.

Third, the AD differentiates between outcomes of inspection: if no crack is found, the bolt is to be reinstalled and inspections repeated per Requirement 1; if a crack is found, the AD requires replacement with an approved P/N and imposes the "prior to further flight" constraint for such replacement. Fourth, the AD defines how replacement affects subsequent inspection timing. If replacements are P/N 340-5110105 or 340-5110105-1, the first repeat inspection is required within 3,000 hours time-in-service after installation, thereafter at intervals not to exceed 500 hours. If replacement is P/N 340-5110105-3, the first repeat inspection is required within 8,000 hours time-in-service after installation, thereafter at 500 hour intervals. Fifth, the AD provides a terminating option: installation of P/N 340-5110105-5 constitutes terminating action for the repetitive inspections required by this AD.

A supporting concept is that the AD cross-references FAA material. The AD includes a note that "FAA AD 87-17-10 Amdt 39-5715 refers" and requires that inspections follow the Convair service bulletin "or later FAA approved revision." This embeds an external standard within the AD’s compliance regime. Finally, the AD sets concrete compliance windows: initial compliance within 500 hours TIS after the effective date, recurring 500 hour inspection intervals, immediate replacement "prior to further flight" on discovery of a crack, and differing initial inspection windows after installation of particular replacement P/Ns (3,000 hours and 8,000 hours). These time-based metrics govern maintenance scheduling and operational availability.

The AD affects operators, owners, maintenance organisations and maintenance personnel responsible for General Dynamics (Convair) Model 340 and Model 440 aeroplanes fitted with the specified main landing gear drag strut pivot bolt assemblies. The Applicability paragraph in the source explicitly lists "GENERAL DYNAMICS (Convair) Models 340 and 440 aeroplanes including all such model airplanes converted to turbo- propeller power, equipped with main landing gear drag strut pivot bolt assembly Part Numbers (P/N) 340-5110105, or340-5110105-1, or 340-5110105-3." That formulation means the AD applies both to original-build aeroplanes and those later converted to turboprop power, provided they contain any of the listed pivot bolt P/Ns. Parties that perform magnetic particle inspections, procure replacement pivot bolt parts, and conduct the installation work are directly engaged by the AD’s requirements.

Operators incur time-in-service-based compliance obligations: the initial inspection must be completed "within 500 hours time-in-service after the effective date of this AD" (Compliance 1). After that, inspections must occur at recurring intervals "not to exceed 500 hours time-in-service since last bolt inspection" (Compliance 2). If a crack is found, the AD requires replacement "prior to further flight" (Compliance 3), which affects immediate operational plans for any aircraft with a cracked bolt. Maintenance organisations deciding what replacement bolts to fit face a consequential choice: installing P/N 340-5110105-5 ends the repetitive inspection obligation, whereas installing other authorised replacement P/Ns (340-5110105, 340-5110105-1, 340-5110105-3) preserves a requirement to re-inspect on a time schedule defined in Compliance 4 and Compliance 5.

The AD also implicates suppliers of the specified pivot bolts; supply chain availability will affect operators’ ability to comply, especially where rapid replacement "prior to further flight" is mandated. Designated maintenance personnel must be competent to perform magnetic particle inspections and to follow the "Accomplishment Instructions" of Service Bulletin 640(340D)32-14 (or a later FAA-approved revision). The AD’s signatory is the CASA delegate, identified as James Coyne; the effective date is 8 June 2006. The document also notes that "FAA AD 87-17-10 Amdt 39-5715 refers", which may affect operators that also operate in jurisdictions where FAA ADs are applicable or considered relevant.

The AD imposes several explicit duties on those within its applicability. Duty 1, expressed in Requirement 1 and Compliance 1, is to inspect the main landing gear drag strut pivot bolt assembly P/N 340-5110105, 340-5110105-1, or 340-5110105-3 using magnetic particle inspection procedures "in accordance with Paragraph 2., 'Accomplishment Instructions' of General Dynamics, Convair Division, Service Bulletin 640(340D)32-14, dated 10 October 1986, or later FAA approved revision." That initial inspection must be completed "within 500 hours time-in-service after the effective date of this AD." Duty 2, drawn from Requirement 2 and Compliance 2, is that if no cracks are found the bolt is to be reinstalled and inspections repeated at intervals not to exceed 500 hours time-in-service since the last bolt inspection.

Duty 3, from Requirement 3 and Compliance 3, is that if any crack is found the operator must replace the main landing gear drag strut pivot bolt assembly with an authorised P/N , the AD lists 340-5110105, 340-5110105-1, 340-5110105-3, 340-5110105-5 or "approved equivalent" , and must effect that replacement "prior to further flight." Duties 4 and 5 specify the post-installation inspection schedules tied to which replacement P/N is fitted. If a new P/N 340-5110105 or 340-5110105-1 is installed, the first post-installation inspection must occur "within 3,000 hours time-in-service after bolt installation" and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 500 hours (Compliance 4). If P/N 340-5110105-3 is fitted, the first post-installation inspection must occur "within 8,000 hours time-in-service after bolt installation" and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 500 hours (Compliance 5).

The AD also creates a right of termination of the repetitive inspections: installation of P/N 340-5110105-5 "constitutes terminating action for the repetitive inspections required by this AD." The AD permits replacement with an "approved equivalent" part, which implies a right to fit alternatives provided they receive appropriate approval; the AD does not define the approval process within the text, but it explicitly allows an approved equivalent as a replacement option. The AD gives operators the procedural obligation to follow the service bulletin "or later FAA approved revision" for inspection technique; that constrains technical discretion by tying the method to a specific manufacturer's instructions and to FAA-approved revisions.

The AD does not in its text grant any express exemptions, waivers, or alternative means of compliance; the only alternative technical path to stop repetitive inspections is the installation of P/N 340-5110105-5 as the designated terminating action. The AD also includes a note referencing FAA AD 87-17-10 Amdt 39-5715; the AD therefore situates its duties within a network of referenced safety publications and prior FAA action.

The AD text itself does not set out explicit penalties, fines, or enforcement procedures. The document prescribes mandatory technical and temporal requirements , inspection method, part numbers, time-in-service windows, and an explicit effective date , but contains no clause specifying sanctions for non-compliance. The AD does state that it "becomes effective on 8 June 2006," which creates a clear compliance commencement date, and it records the signatory as "James Coyne, Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority" dated 28 April 2006, establishing the source of the directive within CASA's administrative framework. Beyond those administrative markers, the AD does not include textual material about enforcement powers, penalties, or the administrative or criminal consequences of failing to comply.

From the document itself, therefore, the enforcement mechanism is procedural: the AD creates binding maintenance obligations framed in technical and time terms. The AD’s operational effect depends on its integration into the broader regulatory and operational environment, as the AD requires specified inspections "in accordance with" a manufacturer’s service bulletin and references an FAA AD. The AD also specifies actions "prior to further flight" where cracking is found, indicating an immediate operational bar on flying with a cracked pivot bolt under the AD’s terms. The AD’s omission of explicit sanctioning language in the text means that any penalties or enforcement actions would be derived from the broader statutory and regulatory regime under which CASA operates, or from other applicable aviation safety instruments; those mechanisms are not described or referred to in the AD text provided.

The AD makes clear who has issued it and when, and it creates discrete compliance windows and technical obligations. The AD does not, within its text, provide a schedule of penalties, an administrative enforcement process, or a dispute or appeal mechanism. The only referenced external document is "FAA AD 87-17-10 Amdt 39-5715", which the AD notes refers; the AD does not elaborate enforcement consequences tied to that FAA AD within its own text.

The AD embeds and references external technical materials, thereby creating linkages with other regulatory instruments. The AD requires inspections "in accordance with Paragraph 2., 'Accomplishment Instructions' of General Dynamics, Convair Division, Service Bulletin 640(340D)32-14, dated 10 October 1986, or later FAA approved revision." That requirement cross-references a manufacturer's service bulletin and explicitly allows later FAA-approved revisions to govern the inspection method. In addition, the AD contains a note that "FAA AD 87-17-10 Amdt 39-5715 refers." Those two references show direct interaction at the technical level with FAA-issued material and with manufacturer's instructions.

The AD does not expressly mention any other Australian statutes, regulations, or CASA instruments within its text, nor does it set out how compliance with the AD should be recorded against maintenance logs or airworthiness records. The AD’s structure implies that operators must follow the specified service bulletin or later FAA-approved revisions to satisfy the inspection method requirement; this creates a dependency on the content of the referenced service bulletin and any FAA-approved updates. The AD also allows replacement with an "approved equivalent", which implies reliance on an approval process external to the AD text to validate alternative parts. The AD does not itself specify the approval authority or process for an "approved equivalent" part.

Because the AD cross-references an FAA AD and FAA-approved revisions to a Convair service bulletin, it functions as a local instrument that incorporates external standards by reference. The AD thereby interacts instrumentally with FAA materials; operators who also operate under jurisdictions where the FAA AD applies may observe overlapping or supportive requirements. The AD’s effective date is explicitly stated as 8 June 2006, and the AD must be read in sequence with the specific requirements and compliance windows set out in the document.

No other domestic or international legal instruments are explicitly invoked in the AD text supplied. Any broader legal interactions, such as administrative enforcement powers, record-keeping obligations, or appeals processes, are not specified in the AD and would have to be identified in CASA’s underlying statutory framework or in other regulatory materials, none of which are included in the AD text provided.

The AD text itself includes limited historical references and does not present a sequence of domestic amendments. The AD is designated "AD/CONVAIR/24" with the date marker "6/2006" repeated in the header. It records an effective date of 8 June 2006 and a signing date of 28 April 2006 by James Coyne, Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The AD also references older FAA material: the Convair service bulletin that the inspection procedures must follow is dated 10 October 1986 ("General Dynamics, Convair Division, Service Bulletin 640(340D)32-14, dated 10 October 1986, or later FAA approved revision"). The AD further notes that "FAA AD 87-17-10 Amdt 39-5715 refers." Those two references point to older FAA-era action and manufacturer guidance from the 1980s.

Within the AD text there is no express chronology of prior versions of AD/CONVAIR/24; the document as supplied appears to be a single consolidated AD issued in 2006 that draws on a 1986 service bulletin and references an FAA AD from 1987. The AD does not list prior amendments, revocations, or supersessions of domestic ADs. It also does not include an Appendix setting out amendment history or a footnote showing earlier drafts. The only historical elements present in the AD are the dates attached to the service bulletin (10 October 1986), the reference to FAA AD 87-17-10, and the AD’s own issuance and effective dates (signed 28 April 2006; effective 8 June 2006).

Because the AD allows the use of "later FAA approved revision" of the service bulletin, the AD's technical requirements can be affected by later FAA-approved revisions to the Convair service bulletin without the AD itself being formally amended. The AD also provides a terminating action by installation of P/N 340-5110105-5, thereby creating a permanent solution path embedded in the 2006 directive. The AD text does not identify any earlier domestic instruments that it amends or replaces, nor does it include a version history beyond the single 2006 issuance and the cross-references to the 1986 and 1987 documents.

The AD as provided does not record or reference any litigation, judicial review, administrative appeals, or enforcement cases arising from its issuance. The document contains no mention of court decisions, tribunal rulings, or any dispute resolution outcomes. The AD is a concise administrative safety directive that sets technical and timing obligations; it does not include any litigation narrative or refer to challenges to its content or application.

Because the AD text does not mention litigation, there is no litigation history to summarise within the scope of this document. The absence of litigation references in the AD means that any dispute, challenge, or enforcement proceeding that may have arisen in relation to AD/CONVAIR/24 is not recorded in the source material provided. The AD does contain administrative identifiers (AD/CONVAIR/24; effective date 8 June 2006) and a signatory (James Coyne, Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority), which are necessary data points for any party considering judicial or administrative review; none of that material, however, is framed within the AD as part of a litigation record.

For the purposes of compliance, parties should treat the AD as an administrative safety instrument with specified technical and temporal obligations. Any enquiries concerning dispute resolution, appeals against the AD, or enforcement actions that might have led to litigation would need to be pursued via CASA's administrative channels or the relevant judicial forums, but the AD text itself contains no account of such proceedings.

The AD contains several technical and procedural details that can be missed if read quickly. First, applicability is specific and includes conversions. The Applicability paragraph applies the AD not only to factory-built Convair 340 and 440 aeroplanes but also to "all such model airplanes converted to turbo- propeller power", provided they are fitted with one of the listed pivot bolt P/Ns. An operator who has a converted airframe must therefore check the installed P/N to determine applicability, and not assume conversions fall outside the AD.

Second, the AD is P/N-specific and differentiates subsequent inspection timing by which replacement P/N is installed. The list of affected and authorised P/Ns appears in multiple places and must be read precisely: the inspection requirement targets existing P/Ns 340-5110105, 340-5110105-1, or 340-5110105-3. If a crack is found, replacement is authorised with P/N 340-5110105, 340-5110105-1, 340-5110105-3, 340-5110105-5 or "approved equivalent". Each P/N then carries different follow-up inspection timing: P/N 340-5110105 or 340-5110105-1 triggers a first post-installation inspection within 3,000 hours TIS, whereas P/N 340-5110105-3 triggers a first post-installation inspection within 8,000 hours TIS. By contrast, installation of P/N 340-5110105-5 is expressly designated as terminating action, ending repetitive inspections. Misreading the P/Ns or their associated intervals could lead to non-compliance or unnecessary inspections.

Third, the inspection method and procedural authority are narrowly specified. Requirement 1 demands magnetic particle inspection "in accordance with Paragraph 2., 'Accomplishment Instructions' of General Dynamics, Convair Division, Service Bulletin 640(340D)32-14, dated 10 October 1986, or later FAA approved revision." That means operators must follow the service bulletin's Paragraph 2 instructions or a later FAA-approved revision, not an ad hoc or alternative inspection technique unless such technique is embodied in a later FAA-approved revision of the service bulletin.

Fourth, timing details combine calendar and operational metrics. Initial compliance is tied to hours time-in-service: "within 500 hours time-in-service after the effective date of this AD." The effective date is 8 June 2006. Subsequent intervals are also measured in hours time-in-service. Operators must track hours accurately to remain within the specified windows. Fifth, the AD imposes an operational constraint on detected cracking: replacement "prior to further flight." That phrasing is absolute in the AD text and demands immediate action before the aircraft can be flown.

Sixth, the AD allows "approved equivalent" replacement parts but does not define the approval pathway in its text. Operators wishing to fit equivalents must ensure they have the necessary approvals in place; the AD does not state within its text who grants such approval. Finally, the AD references other authorities: it notes that "FAA AD 87-17-10 Amdt 39-5715 refers." Operators should be mindful that the AD points to FAA materials for context and for allowable revisions to the service bulletin, but the AD itself is the operative CASA instrument with its own compliance windows and requirements.

Follow the AD’s Requirements and Compliance entries exactly, using the service bulletin instructions referenced. The AD lays out a clear sequence.

1. Confirm applicability. Check the aircraft type and installed part number. The AD applies to General Dynamics (Convair) Models 340 and 440 aeroplanes, "including all such model airplanes converted to turbo- propeller power," where the main landing gear drag strut pivot bolt assembly is P/N 340-5110105, 340-5110105-1, or 340-5110105-3. Verify the installed pivot bolt P/N before taking further steps.

2. Initial inspection. Perform a magnetic particle inspection of the main landing gear drag strut pivot bolt assembly using the procedures in Paragraph 2, "Accomplishment Instructions" of General Dynamics, Convair Division, Service Bulletin 640(340D)32-14 dated 10 October 1986, or a later FAA approved revision, as required by Requirement 1. Complete this initial inspection "within 500 hours time-in-service after the effective date of this AD" (Compliance 1).

3. If no cracks are found. If the magnetic particle inspection reveals no cracks, reinstall the bolt and repeat the inspection in accordance with Requirement 1 at intervals "not to exceed 500 hours time-in-service since last bolt inspection" (Compliance 2). Maintain awareness of the 500 hour recurrence window.

4. If any crack is found. If the inspection finds a crack, replace the main landing gear drag strut pivot bolt assembly before the next flight, as the AD requires replacement "prior to further flight" (Requirement 3; Compliance 3). Use one of the authorised replacement P/Ns listed in Requirement 3: 340-5110105, 340-5110105-1, 340-5110105-3, 340-5110105-5, or an "approved equivalent". Ensure the replacement part is the correct P/N and that installation follows the manufacturer’s and service bulletin instructions.

5. Post-installation inspection schedule. If the replacement part installed is P/N 340-5110105 or 340-5110105-1, perform the next inspection "within 3,000 hours time-in-service after bolt installation" and thereafter at intervals "not to exceed 500 hours time-in-service since last bolt inspection" (Requirement 4; Compliance 4). If the replacement part is P/N 340-5110105-3, perform the next inspection "within 8,000 hours time-in-service after bolt installation" and thereafter at intervals "not to exceed 500 hours time-in-service since last bolt inspection" (Requirement 5; Compliance 5).

6. Terminating action option. If the operator wishes to avoid the recurring inspection burden, install part number 340-5110105-5. The AD states that "Installation of main landing gear drag strut pivot bolt assembly P/N 340-5110105-5 constitutes terminating action for the repetitive inspections required by this AD." If fitting the terminating P/N, confirm that installation follows the service bulletin and that the P/N used matches exactly.

7. Use approved service bulletin revisions. All inspections must follow the referenced service bulletin or a later FAA-approved revision. The AD explicitly allows "later FAA approved revision", therefore if a later FAA-approved revision exists, conduct inspections according to the most recent FAA-approved instructions.

8. Scheduling and operational planning. Because the AD measures compliance in hours time-in-service, plan maintenance windows and part procurement accordingly. The initial inspection deadline is calculated from the AD effective date (8 June 2006), with the first inspection due within 500 hours TIS thereafter. Subsequent intervals are likewise hour-based.

9. Replacement approval for "approved equivalent". If proposing an "approved equivalent" part as replacement, secure the necessary approval prior to fitting; the AD permits such equivalents but does not define the approval mechanism within the text.

10. Record-keeping and proof of compliance. The AD itself does not specify record-keeping procedures; however, compliance will require documenting inspections, findings, replacements, part numbers installed and dates/time-in-service at which inspections and replacements occurred in order to demonstrate adherence to the AD’s time-based requirements and to show that any "prior to further flight" replacements were completed before flight.

Adherence requires access to competent magnetic particle inspection capability and Convair service bulletin instructions (the Paragraph 2 "Accomplishment Instructions"). The operator or maintenance organisation should ensure qualified personnel perform the inspection and replacement work, and should source authorised replacement parts or approved equivalents in advance if multiple aircraft are affected. The AD’s note that "FAA AD 87-17-10 Amdt 39-5715 refers" suggests that any FAA updates to related material may be relevant to the approved service bulletin revisions allowed by this AD.